The present invention relates to installations for winning mineral, especially coal.
In mechanized workings, it is well known to utilize a machine, such as a shearer or plough, which is moved back and forth along a mineral or coal face to strip mineral therefrom with mechanical cutting tools. The mineral is transported away with a scraper-chain conveyor and conveniently the winning machine is mounted on guide means at the mineral face side of the conveyor. The conveyor is shifted up towards the face from time to time with the aid of shifting rams connected between the conveyor and roof support chocks arranged at the goaf side of the conveyor.
Apparatus has been described which serves to win coal by hydraulic pressure. German patent specification No. 2307413 describes apparatus wherein high-pressure water nozzles are carried by the roof support units or on a special plough so that coal is removed from the face solely by high-pressure water jets. U.K. patent specification No. 672336 describes a coal cutting machine which employs both mechanical cutting tools and high pressure nozzles so that coal is won by a combination of mechanical and hydraulic methods.
Difficulties can arise where the nozzles are provided on the cutting machine itself and prior art apparatus has not been able to provide efficient working of the coal face. A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved mining installation, enabling mineral to be won by a combination of mechanical and hydraulic methods in a particularly efficient manner.